Ever since she was small, Maureen Gaynor, from Smithfield RI, has been enthralled with music. She has recently released her fifth original album Iron Horse. She is self-employed and has worked as a freelance Writer and Musician since 1993.
“One of my favorite shows was the Partridge Family,” Gaynor said. “They had very catchy songs especially to a six year old girl. That’s where my fascination with music began. All of us have ambitions. All of us develop a passion for something early on in our childhoods. My passion was for music.”
At age ten she discovered Billy Joel. In particular the Stranger album, she said it was much different than what she had been listening to.
“I must have listened to ‘The Stranger’ 1,000 times in a year span. And once I saw Billy Joel in 1979, I was completely sold on him.”
She uses a program Kore and Finale which work together to make it able for Gaynor to play music.
Besides music, Gaynor has written two books. Her first book was Always a Place, she wrote in 2010.
She has just completed working on another book, her autobiography, “What If Nobody Finds Out Who I Am?” which is now available for purchase at www.amazon.com.
Her first music album “Live the Beat” was released in 1996.
Five years after college, Gaynor wanted to see what was out there for notations software and she stumbled on a program called Finale.
“I was so engrossed with this particular program because it was the first program I ever tried that allowed me to play more than one note simultaneously,” Gaynor said. “It was incredible.”
Once Gaynor got used to Finale she bought a sound generator with 128 instrument sounds.
She used her computer to compose music. She uses a notation software program called Finale in conjunction with a sound generator to produce all the instruments. She has written over 40 original compositions.
“We hooked it up to the back of my computer and hooked up some speakers to it,” Gaynor said. “I had sounds other than computer tones. The piano really didn’t sound like a piano compared to what quality of sounds are available today. The tones of the old sound generators are very rudimentary.”
She says she now has internal sounds that she can manipulate.
“I am about to switch to Logic Pro which is a digital audio workstation. I already bought some new speakers and some new sound instruments.”
Gaynor says to overcome any limitations she has, “I just search out for the easiest way to do something and experiment.”
Gaynor designed five out of six of her album covers!
She was influenced to write her autobiography by Peter Falk. Falk played the main role in the mystery television film series Columbo. Falk would always send Gaynor Christmas cards before he passed away in 2011.
“I wrote my autobiography,” Gaynor explains, “because I had the ability to do so. And it was just that: I had the ability to do so. I thought given my unique views on life, having a substantial physical disability, but having the ability to get my story out there, it would have been incredibly selfish and irresponsible if I didn’t write it. You can’t talk a good game without putting it out there.”
“When you think that something is out of reach, just sit back and breathe because within time, anything is possible!” says Gaynor.
“Maureen Gaynor is an inspiration, my inspiration. Her autobiography is raw and real and made me take an honest inventory of my own life. Besides wielding a poetic pen, she writes with the courage and insight of a modern-day sage. I read deep into the night, enjoying each personal path she was generous enough to take me on. This book will not only inspire those with disabilities, but has the power to make a positive impact on all who read it. Maureen is a hero and I highly recommend that everyone read her newest literary gift.”
– Steven Manchester, #1 bestselling author, “The Rockin’ Chair and Twelve Months”
Gaynor’s favorite instruments to play are the drums and the piano. You can buy her music or books at www.amazon.com
For about information about Maureen Gaynor go to:
http://maureengaynor.weebly.com/
Article Written by URI Journalism Student Ryan Murray in consultation with the RI Developmental Disabilities Council (RIDDC) Systems Advocacy Committee (SAC) Chairperson and URI Journalism Professor, Celest Martin, and RIDDC Staff, Sue Babin.